1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cultured milk beverage having excellent intestine reachability, a large viable count and superb flavor and also to a production process thereof.
2) Description of the Related Art
The viable count of lactic acid bacteria in a cultured milk beverage should desirably be as great as possible, because a greater viable count is expected to result in the arrival of more lactic acid bacteria at the intestinal tract in a viable state so that they exhibit useful physiological action. For example, the MHW (Ministry of Health and Welfare) Decree on the Standards and the Like for Ingredients in Milk and Other Dairy Products specifies that the viable count of lactic acid bacteria in a cultured milk beverage shall be at least 1.0.times.10.sup.6 cells/ml.
A greater viable count in a cultured milk beverage, however, leads to the production of lactic acid and other fermentation products in larger amounts by lactic acid bacteria during the lactic acid fermentation in its production process or during the period of from its shipping from the plant to its consumption, whereby the flavor and taste of the beverage tends to be altered. In view of the stability of the flavor and taste of a product, there has hence been an obvious limitation to an increase in the viable count. In particular, certain types of lactic acid bacteria which have a greater chance to reach the intestinal tract in a viable state after being taken and therefore are considered preferable from the viewpoint of health promotion effects--generally tend to produce characteristic fermentation products. It has therefore been difficult to produce a delicious cultured milk beverage of a high viable count by relying upon the above technique alone.
Accordingly, conventional cultured milk beverages available on the market and having a viable count of 10.sup.8 cells/ml or so are either those produced by using only a particular type of lactic acid bacterium, said type being capable of affording products of good flavor and taste even if its intestine reachability may not be good (for example, Streptococcus thermophilus), or those produced by using a specific type of lactic acid bacterium of good intestine reachability in an amount range permissible in view of the flavor and taste of the products in combination with another specific type of lactic acid bacterium which can afford products of good flavor and taste.
As has been described above, to allow more cells to reach the intestinal tract in a viable state when a cultured milk beverage is taken, it is effective not only to increase the viable count of lactic acid bacteria in the cultured milk beverage but also to choose a particular culture having good intestine reachability. Despite the fact that cultures excellent from such a viewpoint have already been ascertained, it has heretofore been unable to have a cultured milk beverage contain a lactic acid bacterium having good intestine reachability in any sufficient amount due to its adverse effects on the flavor and taste.